Patent Grant
9803836
Embodiments of this disclosure relate generally to decorative elements of surface mount light fixtures, and more particularly to an add-on decorative skin for changing the color of surface mount light fixtures.
Many surface mount or flush mount light fixtures include a visible exterior trim. Due to differences in wall color, décor, and customer taste, it would be desirable to provide the light fixtures in various trim colors. For example, some customers may prefer white or cream colors to blend in with the color of the wall or ceiling. Other customers may prefer metallic colors such as satin nickel or bronze. However, providing light fixtures of a range of colors would increase the number of SKUs and require increased inventory. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a means of customizing the color of a surface mount or flush mount light fixture. One prior art approach to attempting to provide this customization involves using covers or skins that fit over the light fixture. However, prior art skins have been lacking in that they can interfere with the mounting of the light fixture. Accordingly, an improved skin for a light fixture is needed.
In an example embodiment of the present disclosure, a light fixture assembly comprises a surface mount light fixture. The surface mount light fixture comprises a trim having a first shape. The trim comprises an outer trim perimeter and an inner trim perimeter. The inner trim perimeter defines an orifice through which light is emitted, wherein the outer trim perimeter includes a chamfered edge. The light fixture assembly further includes a skin having a second shape similar to the first shape and configured to at least partially cover the trim. The skin includes an outer skin perimeter configured to surround the outer trim perimeter, an inner skin perimeter configured to surround the inner trim perimeter, and a raised coupling feature configured to grip the chamfered edge of the trim. The skin is coupled to the trim via the engagement of the raised coupling feature and the chamfered edge.
In another example embodiment of the present disclosure, a surface mount light fixture includes a skin. The skin comprises an outer skin perimeter, an inner skin perimeter, and one or more surfaces defined therebetween. The inner skin perimeter defines an opening through which light is can be emitted, and the one or more surfaces are contoured correspondingly to an outer surface of a surface mount light fixture. The skin further includes a coupling feature formed on the skin configured to couple the skin to the surface mount light fixture.
In another example embodiment of the present disclosure, a light fixture assembly includes a light fixture. The light fixture includes a trim having a first shape. The trim includes an outer trim perimeter and an inner trim perimeter, the inner trim perimeter defining an orifice through which light is emitted. The trim also includes a retainment feature formed on the outer trim perimeter, the inner trim perimeter, or anywhere therebetween. The light fixture assembly includes a skin having a second shape similar to the first shape and configured to at least partially cover the trim. The skin comprises an outer skin perimeter configured to surround the outer trim perimeter, an inner skin perimeter configured to surround the inner trim perimeter, and a coupling feature configured to engage with the retainment feature of the trim. The skin is coupled to the trim via the engagement of the coupling feature and the retainment feature.
Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The example embodiments discussed herein are directed to skins for surface mount light fixtures. The example embodiments are better understood by reading the following description of non-limiting, example embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like parts of each of the figures are identified by like reference characters, and which are briefly described as follows. In the following detailed description of the example embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the disclosure herein. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the example embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.
Turning to the figures,
In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 is a hard cover configured to cover the heat sink 108. In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 has a shape and profile which corresponds to the shape and profile of the heat sink 108. Specifically, the skin 104 has an outer perimeter 116 and an inner perimeter 118 configured to conform to the outer perimeter 110 and inner perimeter 112 of the heat sink 108 so that the skin 104 completely covers the heat sink (or trim) 108 such that the heat sink 108 is not visible to a person looking up at the surface mount light fixture 102. In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 is fabricated from a metal or plastic material and is shaped to provide a thin cover to the heat sink 108. In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 includes a covered coating. The coating may be matte, glossy, metallic, or any other type of finish.
In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 includes one or more attachment features (also referred to as coupling features) 114 for coupling the skin 104 to the heat sink 108. In certain example embodiments, the attachment feature 114 is a retention bump 114 formed on the outer perimeter 116 of the skin 104. In certain example embodiments, the retention bump 114 is a portion of the outer perimeter 116 that protrudes inwards. In certain example embodiments, when the skin 104 is pushed onto the heat sink 108, the retention bumps 114 engage with the chamfered edge 204 of the heat sink 108 and is thereby retained on the heat sink 108. In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 includes three retention bumps 114 disposed at equal intervals around the outer perimeter 116 of the skin 104.
In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 and the heat sink 108 include various other types of coupling features for coupling the skin 104 to the heat sink 108. In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 includes a plurality of spherical bumps. The spherical bumps can be made by creating a spherical indention in the material of the skin 104 at the outer perimeter 116 or by affixing a spherical bump pad to the skin 104. The spherical bumps are similarly retained by the chamfered edge 204 of the heat sink 108. In certain other example embodiments, the skin 104 includes one or more inward facing edged tabs and the heat sink 108 includes one or more corresponding slots for receiving the tabs and retaining the skin 104. In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 can be coupled to the heat sink 108 magnetically, via various male-female connections (e.g., tab/slot), or via adhesives. In certain example embodiments, such retainment features can be located in any corresponding locations of the skin 104 and the heat sink 108, including on the inner perimeter 112 of the heat sink 108 and the inner perimeter 118 of the skin 104.
One advantage of the example retainment features and attachment features described herein is that they do not interfere with the gasket 206 and therefore do not disrupt the seal between the light fixture and the ceiling. Another advantage is that the example retainment features and attachment features do not create an unwanted gap between the ceiling and the fixture.
The skin 104, when coupled to the heat sink 108, covers up the heat sink 108 and provides an exterior trim for the light fixture 100. In certain example embodiments, the skin 104 is permanently coupled to the heat sink 108. In certain other example embodiments, the skin 104 is removably coupled to the heat sink 108 and thus interchangeable.
Although embodiments described herein are made with reference to example embodiments, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications are well within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the example embodiments described herein are not limited to any specifically discussed application and that the embodiments described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. From the description of the example embodiments, equivalents of the elements shown therein will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and ways of constructing other embodiments using the present disclosure will suggest themselves to practitioners of the art. Therefore, the scope of the example embodiments is not limited herein.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5690424 | Warshauer | Nov 1997 | A |
| 7722227 | Zhang | May 2010 | B2 |
| 7810960 | Soderman | Oct 2010 | B1 |
| 7950832 | Tanaka | May 2011 | B2 |
| 20080232116 | Kim | Sep 2008 | A1 |
| 20080285271 | Roberge | Nov 2008 | A1 |
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| T67/Commercial Electric 6 In. Recessed Soft White LED Disk Light. Jan. 21, 2013. http://www.amazon.com/commercial-electric-recessed-white-light/dp/boob3xIIMK. |
